When it comes to Health & Safety, Gavin’s here to put your mind at ease.
An anonymous employee needed guidance concerning hiring contractors and had a few questions.
Here's what was on their mind:
"Hi Gavin, I’ve got a lot of construction work coming up and I’m considering hiring contractors. I haven’t used them before, so I’ve got some questions you might be able to help with. How do I know they’re skilled enough to complete the work to a high standard? Will they need certain qualifications? I’m also aware they’ll need site inductions, what should this cover? Hope you’re able to shed light on these matters! Cheers"Anonymous
Gavin provided expertise:
“Hi Anonymous,
When your reputation is at stake and
you’re relying on contractors, it’s vital that you’re confident they’re competent. Here are tips to decide if you can depend on them:
- Request evidence of their work. Does it demonstrate the level of skill you’re after?
- Ensure they can provide relevant qualifications such as CSCS cards and other credentials specific to a trade. For example, Gas Safe Register or the NICEIC for electrical work.
- Are they members of professional bodies and trade associations like the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS), SafeContractor, and TrustMark? This is a good indication they meet specific standards.
- Scrutinise their Health & Safety policy. Be aware that if they have more than five employees, this is a legal requirement that it is written down.
- Confirm that they have up-to-date liability insurance covering both the public and their employees.
- Depending on the scale of the work, you may wish to conduct an independent financial check to ascertain their business stability.
- A properly drafted contract is essential. I’d advise it includes the scope of work, materials, costs, timelines, payment schedule and processes should any changes or obstacles arise.
- You may wish to consolidate the above with a contractor selection questionnaire; this is an effective means to get detailed answers to your questions. You can download our free contractor questionnaire template here.
With that part of your questions covered, let’s discuss the importance of site inductions.
Providing site inductions transcends best practice. Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) and the Building Safety Act 2022, it’s a legal requirement.
They are the final step to ensure workers are familiar with the environment they’re entering. Even experienced contractors cannot work safely if they’re oblivious to hidden risks.
If a building was constructed or renovated before 2000, it’s key that you provide an Asbestos Survey—if you don’t, you risk harming workers’ health and the HSE closing your site.
As the employer, you’re most knowledgeable about the site. You’re legally mandated to provide Pre-Construction Information (PCI), which includes:
- The structural integrity of the site. Are there frail floors or roofs?
- Locations of underground water, gas, and electric links.
- Highlighting the whereabouts of lead paint, contaminated land, or biological hazards.
Essentially, you’ll provide contractors with the where and what, whilst they’ll handle the how using RAMS. Here’s a breakdown of what that entails:
- Risk assessments: Contractors identify hazards that could impede them completing work and measures they’ll implement to ensure safety.
- Method statements: A comprehensive plan outlining a “safe system of work” will be provided.
- Confirming competence: As discussed earlier, determining contractors’ competence is critical. A thorough and conscientious RAMS specific to your site illustrates that.
Thank you for your question, and I wish you all the best with your endeavours.
Gavin.”
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